{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2025,8,5]],"date-time":"2025-08-05T12:13:58Z","timestamp":1754396038573},"reference-count":17,"publisher":"Portland Press Ltd.","issue":"6","content-domain":{"domain":["portlandpress.com"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":[],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2013,12,1]]},"abstract":"<jats:p>Drug-resistant epilepsy has remained a problem since the inception of antiepileptic drug development, despite the large variety of antiepileptic drugs available today. Moreover, the mechanism-of-action of these drugs is often unknown. This is due to the widespread screening of compounds through animal models. We have taken a different approach to antiepileptic drug discovery and have identified a biochemical pathway in Dictyostelium discoideum (a \u2018slime mould\u2019) that may relate to the mechanism-of-action of valproate, one of the most commonly used and effective antiepileptic drugs. Through screening in this pathway, we have been able to identify a whole host of fatty acids and fatty acid derivatives with potential antiepileptic activity; this was then confirmed in in\u00a0vitro and in\u00a0vivo mammalian seizure models. Some of these compounds are more potent than valproate and potentially lack many of the major side effects of valproate (including birth defects and liver toxicity). In addition, one of the compounds that we have identified is a major constituent of the ketogenic diet, strongly arguing that it may be the fatty acids and not the ketogenesis that are mediating the effect of this diet.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.1042\/bst20130183","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2015,8,11]],"date-time":"2015-08-11T16:49:03Z","timestamp":1439311743000},"page":"1625-1628","update-policy":"http:\/\/dx.doi.org\/10.1042\/crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":10,"title":["The search for better epilepsy treatments: from slime mould to coconuts"],"prefix":"10.1042","volume":"41","author":[{"given":"Matthew\u00a0C.","family":"Walker","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Clinical and Experimental Epilepsy, Institute of Neurology, University College London, London WC1N 3BG, U.K."}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Robin\u00a0S.B.","family":"Williams","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Centre for Biomedical Sciences, School of Biological Sciences, Royal Holloway University of London, Egham TW20 0EX, U.K."}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"288","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2013,11,20]]},"reference":[{"key":"2021111818153590200_B1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.1016\/j.neuropharm.2013.02.007","article-title":"The problems facing epilepsy therapy","volume":"69","author":"Walker","year":"2013","journal-title":"Neuropharmacology"},{"key":"2021111818153590200_B2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"525","DOI":"10.1126\/science.85.2213.525","article-title":"Experimental determination of the anticonvulsant properties of some phenyl derivatives","volume":"85","author":"Putnam","year":"1937","journal-title":"Science"},{"key":"2021111818153590200_B3","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"51","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1528-1157.1945.tb03260.x","article-title":"Experimental determination of the anticonvulsive activity of chemical compounds","volume":"B3","author":"Putnam","year":"1945","journal-title":"Epilepsia"},{"key":"2021111818153590200_B4","first-page":"435","article-title":"Pharmacodynamic properties of N-dipropylacetic acid","volume":"18","author":"Meunier","year":"1963","journal-title":"Therapie"},{"key":"2021111818153590200_B5","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"433","DOI":"10.1016\/j.reprotox.2010.03.005","article-title":"Surveillance of adverse fetal effects of medications (SAFE-Med): findings from the International Clearinghouse of Birth Defects Surveillance and Research","volume":"29","author":"Lisi","year":"2010","journal-title":"Reprod. 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